AU712259B3

AU712259B3 - Water bed

Info

Publication number: AU712259B3
Application number: AU48434/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Andy Chow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-12-18
Filing date: 1997-12-17
Publication date: 1999-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2000-11-04
Also published as: TW387229U; FR2757034B3; DE29722135U1; FR2757034A3; US5845353A; AU4843497A; JP3049771U

Description

r f S F Ref: 404077

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

I

r r e r o Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Andy Chow 4F, No. 27, Lane 20, Hsing Tung Street Taipei

TAIWAN

Andy Chow Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Water Bed w Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845 WATER BED BACKGROUD OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention This invention relates to an improvement for water bed and particularly to an improvement Swhich can reduce water turbulence within the water bed. The improved structure of the water bed according to the present invention is characterized by that it comprises two water bed mattresses whose degree of resilliency and its temparature can be individually adjusted according to the different requirements of the couple sleeping on the bed.

2. Description of the prior art .o o Conventional water bed usually employs high frequency fusion to form an air cushion flange around the water bed. The abrupt change of water pressure caused by external forces and the rapid and turbulent movement of water can rupture the flange at the fusion portion and results in water leakage. The resilliency of a conventional water bed is difficult to adjust and the bed body is not stable enough. Moreover, the mattress (including those with or without air bounding peripheries itself is loosely constructed to form a configuration of flat circular flange not only disgusting in its appearance but also impending the danger of person sleeping on it to slip down accidentally.

Serious swinging or vibration caused by moving of a person sleeping on the bed often disturbs and awakens the other one. Further, the water contained in a conventional standard size water bed is not isolated by any separator, consequently, there is no difference in temperature and resilliency between two sides of the bed to meet with different requirements and habits of the couple sleeping on it, thus the couple must tolerate with each other. A standard size water bed has same level of temperature and softness that could become a problem when two people lying on it having different sleeping habits and requirements.

Summary of the Invention In view of the above described disadvantages, it is therefore an object of the present invention to develop an improved water bed.

In a broad form the present invention provides a water bed comprising: a pair of separate water bed mattresses, each said water bed mattress having a plurality of transverse partitions fixed on inside surfaces thereof by high frequency fusion, each said transverse partition having a plurality of water flow openings for flow of water therethrough, an air opening, a water inlet opening and a plurality of air tube openings; a water inlet provided at one end of each of said water bed mattresses; a plurality of air tubes, each said air tube longitudinally extending through an air tube opening of each said transverse partition of the respective water bed mattress; oe an air bag located at one end of each of said water bed mattresses and fluidly communicating with respective said air tubes and having an air inlet opening; and a bed cover for housing the water bed mattress.

In the preferred embodiment a plurality of transverse partitions are installed in the mattress which are able to effectively depress rapid longitudinal water flow from head to end of the mattress, and plurality of penetrated holes are provided for each o 20 partition for admitting small amount of water to seep through there between and •alleviating the water pressure. In this way, an abrupt variation of water pressure caused by instantaneously applying a heavy weight on the mattress can be effectively °alleviated to a great extent. It is not only able to maintain very stable state of the mattress, but also can prevent the destruction of high frequency fused partitions on the mattress by strong water hammer phenomenon.

In the preferred embodiment a plurality of air tubes pass over above described transverse partitions. An air inlet is provided for an air bag installed at one side of the mattress for adjusting the resiliency of the mattress by injected air inside it and air tubes to make the mattress suitable for different weight and physical figures of individual user's application. Therefore, the mattress of the water bed may effectively support and contact every portion of the user's body when he is lying on the back or on the side Rthus the effect of complete support and profound rest of the user by lying on the water [R:\LIBLL]08399.doc:TCW bed according to the present invention can be achieved from the viewpoint of human body engineering.

A 4-side high frequency fusion is typically applied to the above described plurality of transverse partitions to form a mattress well stuffed and figured symmetrically.

Preferably, two parts of water filled mattress are combined in one piece to form a mattress unit for a standard size water bed. By such arrangement, the couple lying on the bed may individually adjust the temperature and resiliency of their own sub-mattresses to fit their own requirements and weight without disturbing the other one lying beside. Thus the aim of user's profound sleep and effect of protecting user's back bone will be obtained.

In case that the water leaks because of the deterioration of high frequency fused partitions, a special protecting means is typically provided which is the water bed cover for the whole mattress to prevent the leaking water from seeping out of the S 15 mattress and keep the water in the water bed cover so the bedroom floor won't be contaminated. In addition, detachable rectangular shaped holes are provided both at the .head and the end portions of the water bed cover for the convenience of inserting or replacing the individual sub-mattresses; when necessary, the sub-mattress may be replaced individually.

to 20 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of o example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of this invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom view of this invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the water bed mattress; and Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the water bed mattress.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the water bed according to this invention includes a water bed [R:\L1BLL08399.doc:TCW 4 cover 10, two separate water bed mattresses 20 and a rectangular separator 30 made of foam or air bag which keeps the water bed mattresses 20 apart so that each water bed mattress 20 may have different softness and temperatures. The four lateral sides of the bed cover 10 may be padded with foams or air bags to make the mattress well stuffed and shaped in symmetrical configuration. The two ends 40 of each water bed mattress may also be padded with a foam or air beg for same purpose. At the two ends of the top surface of the bed cover 10, there are two cut off openings 11 which enable the water bed mattress 20 be inserted, or removed there through. Each water bed mattress 20 has a pair of water inlets 21 and an air inlet 22 located in the opening 11.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the water bed mattress 20 includes a plural number of transverse 0 partitions 23. The four sides of each partition 23 are fixed on the inside surfaces of the water bed S mattress 20 via high frequency fusion. It is principally able to facilitate the water bed mattress e..

to be well stuffed and form a symmetrical configuration around the peripherals of the water mattress 20. Especially the transversely arranged partitions 23 can effectively alleviate the water hammer phenomenon entailled by the abrupt variation of water pressure inside the water bed S mattress 20. Each partition 23 has a plural number of opening 231 to facilitate water pressure leveling within the water bed mattress Each partition 23 further has two air openings 232 to allow air in the water bed mattress be expelled out during water filling process. Each partition 23 also has a water inlet opening 234 to enable the water to be filled in the water bed mattress 20. Each water bed mattress 20 further has a Splural number of longitudinal air tubes 24 running through the partitions 23 via opening 233. The air tubes 24 are fluidly communicated with an air bag 25 located at one end of the water bed mattress Through the air inlet 22, pressurized air may be pumped into the air bag 25 and the air tubes24. Therefore the softness of the water in the water bed mattress 20 may be changed and adjusted as desired. The amount of water in the water bed mattress 20 also may be changed to produce different level of softness. The transverse partitions 23 and the openings 231 can produce damping effect to reduce the water vibration and turbulence within the water bed mattress while external force being applied on the water bed 10. As the water bed 10 includes two separate water bed mattresses 20, each water bed mattress 20 may have different amount of water, different air pressure and different water temperature to suit different person's need.

f It may thus be seen that the objects of the present invention set forth herein, as well as those made apparent from the foregoing description are efficiently attained. While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as another embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments a which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

o o o* oo *°oo

Claims

1. A water bed comprising: a pair of separate water bed mattresses, each said water bed mattress having a plurality of transverse partitions fixed on inside surfaces thereof by high frequency s fusion, each said transverse partition having a plurality of water flow openings for flow of water therethrough, an air opening, a water inlet opening and a plurality of air tube openings; a water inlet provided at one end of each of said water bed mattresses; a plurality of air tubes, each said air tube longitudinally extending through an air tube opening of each said transverse partition of the respective water bed mattress; an air bag located at one end of each of said water bed mattresses and fluidly communicating with respective said air tubes and having an air inlet opening; and a bed cover for housing the water bed mattresses.

2. The water bed of claim 1, further having a rectangular foam located 15 respectively at two ends to make the mattress well stuffed and shaped in symmetrical configuration.

3. The water bed of claim 1, further having an air bag located *44o respectively at two ends to make the mattress well stuffed and shaped in symmetrical configuration. 9*« 20 Dated 8 September, 1999 Andy Chow Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON o« [R:\LIBLL]08399.doc:TCW